Persons of any age, whether a child or an adult, often learn to ride a bicycle by attaching a pair of training wheels to the bicycle. As the rider builds their coordination and balance, they rely proportionally less on the balance and support provide by the training wheels. Over time, the rider becomes competent in riding on two wheels, and the training wheels can be removed from the bicycle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,746,367 to Johannsen discloses retractable training wheels having a left and a right retractable mechanism and a left and right training wheel attached to the respective mechanism. In Johannsen, the left mechanism is retractable independently from the right mechanism. Accordingly, an unwanted unbalance might occur if one wheel retracts more than another wheel. Upon retracting the wheels, the mechanism is closer to the ground than either training wheel, preventing the wheels from contacting the ground. Accordingly, as soon as each training wheel is retracted, neither training wheel is able to assist to the rider.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,535 to McMurtrey discloses a pair of training wheels and a pair of mechanisms for attaching the training wheels to the bicycle. Each training wheel is independently adjustable on each respective mechanism for the purpose of accommodating different bicycle sizes. Accordingly, if one wheel were retracted more than the other wheel, and unwanted unbalance would result.
McMurtrey teaches that each mechanism extends downwardly, below the chain stay tubes of the bicycle. The mechanisms are required to extend below the chain stay tubes so that the training wheels can be adjusted to fit various sized bicycles. The amount of extension past the chain stay tubes prevents raising the training wheels close to the chain stay tubes for allowing a rider to rely less on the training wheels while building balance and coordination.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,000 to Saunders teaches a pair of training wheels and a pair of mechanisms for attaching the training wheels to the bicycle. Each mechanism is required to move independently so that each wheel can provide opposing support when bicycle is driven around a turn. An inherent instability is created because the wheels allow the bicycle to become unbalanced, tipping the rider off of the bicycle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,183 to Oberg, et al, teaches attaching a mechanism for holding support wheels to a bicycle. The support wheels serve the purpose of supporting the bicycle while a rider is “popping wheelees.” In order to provide the appropriate support, the support wheels are rigidly elevated above the rear hub of the bicycle, extending rearward, beyond the rear frame tubes of the bicycle. The mechanism has a unshaped frame member that attaches to the rear hub of a bicycle and is adjustable to accommodate sizing for different bicycles. The support wheels are capable of being shifted in a direction that is mostly parallel to the long axis of the bicycle to give the rider more or less support when popping a wheelee. In order to handle the continue shock placed on the support wheels, the mechanism must be supported in two locations on the bicycle frame.
Each prior art reference fails to teach a retractable mechanism that is incapable of separately positioning each training wheel towards or away form the ground to avoid unwanted unbalancing. Each prior art also fails to teach a mechanism that allows the training wheels to be pivoted for placing the wheels between the ground and the chain stay tube so that the wheels can be adjusted while the rider builds confidence and balance. Each prior art also fails to teach a mechanism for holding training wheels that is capable of attaching to the bicycle with one bolt.